AD/HD & Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Look at Two Common Childhood Cognitive Disabilities

AD/HD

            Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) is one of the most common conditions listed under the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as a disability.  It affects as many as 5% of children – and three times as many boys as girls – and as such is a condition most educators will have to deal with multiple times during their tenure (AD/HD Factsheet, 2012).  Yet its commonality does not mean that coping with a child diagnosed with AD/HD is any easier.  Rather, treating the condition effectively requires sustained effort on the parts of both parents and educators.

            The symptoms of AD/HD are rarely difficult to detect.  On the contrary, much of the condition is characterized by acting our and a general lack of self-control.  The three major signs are “problems with paying attention[,] being very active (called hyperactivity), and […] acting before thinking (called impulsivity)” (AD/HD Factsheet, 2012).  These characteristics typically manifest as one of two types: the inattentive type, and the hyperactive-impulsive type.  The inattentive type of AD/HD is marked by a lack or attention to detail, often not following through “on instructions or finish[ing] school work or chores” (AD/HD Factsheet, 2012).  They are easily distracted, and often have the frustrating tendency to lose or misplace items much more frequently than their unafflicted counterparts, “such as toys, school work, and books” (APA, 2000, pp.85-86).

            The other common form is the hyperactive-inattentive type.  Much as its name would suggest, children with this version of AD/HD tend to have extreme difficulty sitting or standing still, and instead near constantly exhibit fidgeting, squirming, or frequent inappropriate running or jumping.  Another subset of this group may talk too much with seemingly little ability to stop their near-constant verbal outbursts, frequently interrupting, butting-in, or speaking out of turn (pp. 86).  Still other children exhibit a “combined type” which merges the two groups, often resulting in a child who has “problems with paying attention, with hyperactivity, and with controlling their impulses” (AD/HD Factsheet, 2012).

            It is important to note that all children exhibit these behaviors sometimes, and they are typically just normal parts of childhood.  Rather, AD/HD is likely when “these behaviors are the rule, not the exception” (AD/HD Factsheet, 2012).  These is no easy or quick “fix” for AD/HD, and it requires extensive knowledge and work by both parents and educators to construct a specialized program to assist their individual needs in the otherwise extremely challenging and rigid environment of the classroom.

PDD

            Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) is more commonly know as Autism Spectrum Disorder.  It encompasses a whole range of illnesses including Asperger syndrome, Rett syndrome, classic autism, childhood disintegrative disorder, and the blanket-term Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (Autism Factsheet, 2010).  Though this spectrum of disorders afflicts up to 1 in 110 children, its exact cause remains unknown.  Though boys are generally more than four times more likely to be diagnosed with a PDD, interestingly, Rett syndrome almost exclusively affects girls.

            In general, PDDs affect the child’s ability to “communicate, understand language, play, and relate to others” (Autism Factsheet, 2010).  Specifically, this can manifest as difficulty with the use or comprehension of language, difficulty relating to other people or events, strange play patterns with toys and objects, and repetition in both body movements and habits.  Additionally, other common symptoms can include “unusual and sometimes uncontrolled reactions to sensory information—for instance, to loud noises, bright lights, and certain textures of food or fabrics” (Autism Factsheet, 2010).  Though children with PDD consistently manifest such difficulties, they “can differ considerably with respect to their abilities, intelligence, and behavior” (Autism Factsheet, 2010).  Behavioral deviations can range from only talking or relating to a limited range of topics and having difficulty understanding abstract ideas, to its most pronounced of not communicating at all, but only using words or sounds in a repetitive, sometimes rhythmic manner (Autism Factsheet, 2010).

            A child with an Autistic Spectrum Disorder can, under the right conditions, do well in the classroom.  With both parents and teachers working together to fulfill the child’s specific needs – often with focus on building a predictable, consistent environment, increased used of visual rather than verbal presentation, and ensuring regular interaction with nondisabled peers from whom they can model behaviors – an autistic child can “grow to live, work, and participate fully in their communities” (Autism Factsheet, 2010)

Resources

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders  fourth edition, text revision (DSM-IV-TR). Arlington, VA: Author.

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY).  (2012) Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Factsheet 19.  Retrieved from: http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/adhd May 5th, 2012.

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY).  (2010). Autism Factsheet 1.  Retrieved from: http://nichcy.org/disability/specific/autism May 5th, 2012.